Sunday Karimi, the senator representing Kogi West, on Wednesday cried out that widespread kidnapping and banditry has become a daily occurrence, warning it could bring down the country.

Mr Karimi, a member of President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress, raised the alarm over widespread kidnapping in his senatorial district during plenary on Wednesday.

“Mr President, the issue of kidnapping and banditry is a big problem that is trying to bring down this nation, and when it happens, we tend to blame it on the federal government alone,” Mr Karimi said.

The senator lamented that kidnapping has become a daily occurrence, citing how bandits raided a community in his senatorial district on Monday, kidnapping 28 people.

“On Monday, in the early hours of the morning, these same bandits entered a community in my senatorial district, Ayedun Bunu, and they kidnapped about 28 people. In fact, it is a daily occurrence in my state, but we cannot talk much,” Mr Karimi said.

While admitting that insecurity is ravaging the country, Mr Karimi said, “My point is, the federal government proposed the issue of state police and also forestry guard. We have not been able to put that into action in terms of bringing it into law.”

Mr Karimi’s admission of the rife insecurity rocking the country comes in the wake of 46 schoolchildren and staff being abducted from Oyo State on May 15.

The incident has sparked nationwide outrage and protests, with hundreds of citizens in different cities demanding their release.

On Sunday, two weeks after the schoolchildren were abducted, Mr Tinubu sent a delegation led by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to visit families of the abducted schoolchildren.